The invention refers to a new and improved construction of an arched or domed support structure of wooden or steel elements, especially for roof constructions, which is of the type comprising a compression dome arched in lengthwise direction in a catenary configuration and comprising bearings at least at the lengthwise ends of said compression dome on which said dome is supported.
A structure of the aforementioned type has been disclosed e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,585 by the applicant. Therein tension domes and compression domes are arranged adjacent to each other in the arching direction and tension elements are provided to transmit the tension forces of the tension domes into the adjacent compression domes. The weight of the structure itself and of the loads is concentrated in lengthwise extending structural elements and is transmitted by them in lengthwise direction to said tension elements in order to be absorbed therein. Therefore, high connection forces be avoided between the structural elements of the known structure.
Due to this in the aforementioned structure, structural elements are needed with a relative large cross section which in turn increases their weight and the weight of the entire structure. Consequently, structures of the aforementioned type are not suited for being built of wooden elements or steel elements having small cross sections. As to wooden elements, it is well known in the art that it is difficult to provide safe connections between such elements for higher loads. But even if wooden girders of large cross section are used, higher loads inevitably lead to deformations of their interconnections and consequently of the entire structure.
However, it is also known in the art that wooden elements of smaller cross sections and for smaller loads can safely be interconnected without any deformation problem.